1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and a system for calculating or measuring cetane number values of middle distillate fluids and/or fuels.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and a system for measuring cetane number values of middle distillate fluids and/or fuels, where the method includes combusting a sample of a middle distillate fluid and/or fuel in a constant volume combustion chamber (CVCC) under conditions to produce combustion data of pressure versus time or a combustion pressure versus time profile and deriving or calculating a cetane number value from data points selected from the pressure versus time profile or from data points and data point ratios or from data point ratio.
2. Description of the Related Art
Current methods and systems for measuring cetane value are based either on engine data or are based on data derived from a constant volume combustion chamber. The methods and systems utilizing constant volume combustion chamber apparatuses determine a cetane value from an equation that uses a single point from pressure versus time combustion data that corresponds to a given increase in chamber pressure after injection of a fuel sample. These methods are wrought with uncertainty for fuels having different amounts of faster burning fuel components and using apparatuses that are capable of differentiating between faster and slower burning fuel components.
Thus, there is a need in the art for methods and systems for determining cetane values from constant volume combustion chamber apparatuses, especially in apparatuses capable of differentiating between faster and slower burning fluid components, where the methods and systems utilize data a pressure versus time profile in a series expansion about selected data points or selected points and ratios of the selected points or ratio of the selected points from the curve to derive improved cetane number values for middle distillate fluids and/or fuels.